And the caveat of needing reliable, fast internet access in order to maintain your income and lifestyle puts added pressure on creating a set-up that supports these needs.

Can you get online everywhere, reliably, with high speeds, and for cheap? Probably not.

But, being online nearly everywhere and most of the time for an affordable price is within reach.

Staying online while working and traveling is completely doable if you're willing to plan ahead, be flexible, and build up a solid internet arsenal. Your travel style, your internet needs, and your budget will all be factors in creating a set-up that works to support you.

This guide is meant to give you an overview of the considerations and options for building and refining an internet arsenal that will support your remote work tasks.

We strive to offer unbiased mobile internet information
specifically for nomads by nomads.

We research, test the options, and analyze industry news...
so you can focus on what drives you.

Video: Mobile Internet Tips for Working Remotely

This 50-minute video is an archive of a webinar Cherie & Chris (founders of RVMobileInternet.com) co-hosted with the Escapee's RV Club on May 18, 2017. Cherie & Chris also more recently presented on this topic at The RV Entrepreneur Summit 2018 in Fredericksburg, Texas and a more produced & updated version of this topic is available for free as part of the The RV Entrepreneur School.

Our top tips for mobile internet considerations for working remotely:

We highly recommend checking out all that the Escapees RV Club offers - they provide resources on many aspects of the RVing lifestyle; from education, domicile, mail forwarding, community, advocacy, parking options and more. Of particular interests is their Xscapers club, geared specifically towards the working aged RVer with job boards, tax & accounting information, health insurance information and an amazing community of like minded RVers.

Assessing Your Needs for Working Remotely and Traveling Full-Time

A reality you will face while traveling and working remotely:

What works best for you in one place, may not work best in the next.

Therefore, there is no singular 'best solution' for all mobile internet situations.

If you're staying in one place for a long period of time, you can find what works best in that location and optimize for it. It's not much different than moving into an apartment or house in a new location.

Mobility, however, presents some unique considerations, especially for those who require internet connection. If you want or need to move locations fairly often, you need to be prepared for the reality that what works best will change each time you relocate.

For travelers who don't rely on internet to support their career or income stream, we often suggest starting with the basics and adding on as you need enhancements. However, if internet is essential to your way of life (and supporting that way of life!) then we suggest being as prepared as possible - or at least having contingency plans in place when internet access refuses to be had.

With planning (and some flexibility), most limitations of mobile internet can be overcome.

Considerations to Make in Assessing Your Needs

We all have different requirements for our mobile internet - from the tasks we need to accomplish to the adventures we want to have. This why the intersection between affordability, reliability and flexibility can be evasive.

When considering your setup, there are a variety of needs and desires to contemplate:

How do you like to travel?

Do you yearn to park out in the 'boonies' where no one will come knocking for days? Or are you a city-slicker, preferring to be near to modern conveniences (and also better access to internet)?

Do you like staying put for months? Or do you move along every few days or weeks?

How Critical is a Constant Connection?

Do you need to be connected from 9-5?

Does your line of work allow for breaks in connectivity?

Do you have scheduled meetings to attend?

Can you work offline at times and upload work when you are able to get back online?

What Activities are Required for Your Line of Work?

Work requirements can impact the speeds you need to be able to maintain, the amount of data you need to be able to tap into and the reliability needs of your setup. Someone who just needs to upload a few text files on their own schedule can have a very different setup than someone who needs to be in several video conference sessions a week.

Redundancy

We've said it before, and we will say it again and again - there is no 'one size fits all' answer to what is the 'best' mobile internet option. However, we do have a best practice suggestion for anyone who relies on mobile internet daily: Redundancy.

Don't jump out of an airplane without a reserve parachute, and don't try to work online from the road without at least two ways to get online.

Redundancy is having multiple options on board for gaining internet access. Redundancy is key in building the most reliable mobile internet solution.

Example of a redundant mobile internet approach:

Having two or more cellular carriers on board (we often see folks with 3+).

Why WiFi Likely Won't Be a Primary Mobile Internet Source

Often the cheapest, and easiest way to get online is to use public WiFi networks. But it may not necessarily be the most reliable or the fastest.

Public WiFi is more often than not summed up in one word: disappointing. This isespecially true if you have high-bandwidth needs for working remotely.

Many campgrounds advertise free or paid WiFi. Though WiFi has the potential to be extremely fast, many shared WiFi networks are overloaded, causing slow speeds and variable connections.

Many libraries, coffee shops, stores, breweries, motels, municipal parks, and even fast food restaurants also offer free WiFi. There are also plenty of paid WiFi networks to be found, such as Boingo and Xfinity.

For many remote workers public places with possibly decent WiFi may not be ideal. Will your client or boss be able to hear you over clinking glasses and patrons cheering their favorite sports team while you are on a video conference? Do you have the ability to focus on your work with your table neighbors catching up on their gossip?

If you're in a location with a library, you might be willing to tote your laptop and set-up for the day. But how long can you go without your full workspace if it includes a large monitor or ergonomic desk?

Security Issues & Public WiFi

Remember that public WiFi spots are just that - public. Who knows what that random stranger sitting next to you is running on their computer? That cute old couple a few seats or rigs down from you could be part of the Russian Mafia. Ok, ok, maybe they aren't part of a nefarious cause intentionally, but, can you be certain that their computers are not running malware or viruses that could be trying to do harm to other computers on the network?

For those who are dealing with confidential data as part of their daily work (i.e. medical records, accounting), WiFi may not be a great option.

But sometimes, WiFi can be totally worth it.

If security issues don't slow you up, you may get lucky with WiFi sometimes!

'The Test': take your device close to the WiFi source and perform the tasks you are required to perform. Is the network fast enough for your needs? Don't forget to take the time of day into consideration, especially at campgrounds/parks. Speeds can be much faster when folks are out exploring the area (and you're home working), but can be reduced to useless by late afternoon/evening.

We have encountered and heard reports of parks with awesome WiFi speeds. These parks have usually invested in backhaul (the amount of bandwidth coming into the campground) - often due to the reality that no cell carriers service the area. Call ahead. Question the park (in depth) about their set-up.

Or maybe you'll be driveway surfing. When staying on a friend or relative's property, having access to their WiFi network can be a real treat - if you can reach the network.

Range is a major limitation of WiFi. Most WiFi hotspots fall off to unusably slow connections just a few hundred feet away from the base station. When you do stumble upon a WiFi gem, you'll may want to have the ability to access the network from your RV.

Cellular Mobile Internet - Likely a Strong Component of your Setup

Cellular data is probably the easiest and most accessible option in most places across the USA. Most working RVers depend on cellular data as the core of their mobile internet connectivity.

Cellular coverage now reaches into some pretty remote places, and coverage maps amongst the four major carriers continue to expand.

Cellular is truly mobile, can be extremely fast (sometimes even faster than cable modems!) and is much more secure and reliable than public WiFi hotspots.

Cellular data is most easily accessed through hot-spotting off of a smartphone. However, when working remotely, you'll probably want to look into a dedicated cellular data device and/or router better suited for the task.

When it comes to cellular data, more important than gear is finding the right plan for your needs.

Picking Your Carriers and Plans

The first choice to make is which carrier (or better yet, carriers) you should get service with to best cover your mobile data needs. And again we will mention: redundancy in carriers is key to consistent internet access.

The cellular carriers are not in the business of providing a home or office internet replacement.

This is a sticky point for those needing to work remotely - we want and need a solution that replaces the cable or DSL connection we might have had at home. This type of internet replacement is not something that the four major carriers are chomping at the bit to provide. Most of their plans are suited for those who have a home internet connection, and just need a bit of data while out and about.

A Word about "Unlimited" Data Plans

We've recently seen a resurgence in 'unlimited" data plans on all of the four major carriers. All of these plans have big 'gotchas' designed specifically to prevent folks from using their cellular data as a home internet replacement.

The major gotchas:

When you use more data than the average user (as defined by the carrier - usually 22-32 GB of data in a month), they have the right to slow down your connection if (and only if) you are on a congested tower.

The Carriers

The major difference for each of the carriers is how widespread their coverage is nationwide. And for those relying on mobile internet, 4G & LTE coverage are the most important for the fastest speeds.

In the US, the four major nationwide carriers are:

Verizon - has the most nationwide coverage, but their most attractive plans can be more difficult to get.

AT&T - close second to Verizon, and currently has the most accessible and usable unlimited plan.

T-Mobile - the carrier to watch with a rapidly expanding network and usable unlimited data plans.

Sprint - coverage generally only useful when close to bigger cities and along interstates, but has attractive plan options.

Below is a quick comparison of the four carrier's 4G coverage maps:

Screenshots above taken from the January 2018 map update to our app Coverage?
- showing just non-roaming 4G and better coverage for each carrier.

Although we can go to each carrier’s maps online to scout out ahead if our next location will have coverage for our carriers, we decided to make it even easier. We wrote an app for that!

Coverage? (available for iOS and Android) overlays our versions of the four major carriers maps, so you can create a personalized coverage map for the carriers you travel with, and plan your travels around connectivity!

Related

Coverage is the primary consideration for most who are required to be online for work.

Which brings us to our mobile working mantra:

Redundancy!

Having more than one carrier on board is essential to consistent, usable internet access while working and traveling. Cellular glitches happen - different carriers excel in specific locations, you could lose signal, not have signal, towers can go down, you could get network managed, hit your data cap or your 'too good to be true' data plan could suddenly disappear.

Current Top Pick Cellular Plans

For most nomads who work full time online, a form of an unlimited data plan is sought after. In addition, second or third data plans (capped or another unlimited data plan) on a additional carriers are recommended.

We're constantly tracking the most affordable options for cellular data, including unlimited and high data cap plans.

Note: Verizon'snew unlimited data plans only include 15GB of high speed mobile hotspot use per line (including Jetpacks).

AT&T - Wireless Home Phone & Internet plans on the Wireless Internet device are available for $60/month for 50GB or $100/month for 100GB. Those in rural markets may be able to get $60 for 250GB or $100 for 500GB - but we believe these to have retired.

Alternate: If you have an Unlimited Plus account (retired on 2/28/2018) you can still add a mobile hotspot line up until May 6 and still be grandfathered in - this will give you unlimited data just subject to network management.

Sprint - Joining a non-profit (such as Calyx Institute or PCs for People) to obtain an unlimited Sprint plan due to some prior agreement the carrier inherited is the most affordable option out there. Pricing ranges from $10-33/month. For more information: Non-Profit Sprint Plans.

Cellular Signal Enhancing

If you are depending on cellular, getting the best signal possible is imperative.

You may find that cellular signal strength can vary quite a bit while traveling, which can impact the speed and reliability of your data. There are things you can do to improve the situation with cellular boosters and antennas.

Boosters and antennas can turn a frustratingly slow connection to a very usable and fast surfing experience.

Enhancing cellular signal and data performance is a tricky subject, and sometimes requires trial and error at each location for each type of device & cellular carrier. It helps to understand a bit more about frequency bands, decibels, signal to noise ratio and MIMO to help decide on your signal enhancing strategy.

But, going through the trouble of setting up a cellular signal enhancing solution will benefit you with:

Alternate Options

Cellular isn't the only option that RVers rely on in their travels. Here are some other options to consider as part of your arsenal:

Seeking Out Public WiFi Hotspots

Places such as cafes, libraries, stores (even parking lots!), and breweries often offer free WiFi. Just please pay it forward for future nomads coming through, and do be a patron while soaking up the bandwidth. These establishments provide WiFi as a perk for their customers, not necessarily for the general public.

Co-Working Spaces

Did you know there are places across the country where you can rent a desk to work from? These can be a great option to get a little time away from the RV, connect with other remote workers, grab some high speed internet and even space to spread out to get work done. Look up local co-working spaces in your area.

Changing Your Location Within A Campground or Area

Sometimes seeking out a new campsite that is not obstructed or is in a different section of a campground is enough to get you the cellular signal you desire. Or, if the campground has decent WiFi, moving closer to the WiFi source may provide you a valuable back-up (or primary) internet option for that location.

Cable Internet at Campsites

If you're staying in a campsite long-term, find out if you can subscribe directly to Cable or DSL internet from your RV site. If you're willing to stay in one place for a while, this can be a great option to get fast and unlimited internet. Seek out RV parks and mobile home parks that cater to seasonal and long term stays. They won't likely advertise this feature, but if they offer cable TV at the site, then sometimes you can just call the cable company and have them come out and hook-up cable internet too with a rented cable modem.

Satellite Internet

Mobile satellite internet has made a recent resurgence to make it a viable option, but it is really only ideal for those who are truly going off into the boonies where no coverage map has reached before. Satellite has trade-offs:

There are only two mobile satellite internet options currently available:

MobileSat DataSAT is a roof mounted auto-aiming dish with an installation cost of around $6500 and unlimited data plans priced by speed (ranging from $79.99 - 409.99/month).

HughesNet Gen 5 is a manual setup tripod option for about $1200-1500 and monthly rates vary based on amount of data desired (with slower speeds after the selected data cap). The new Gen 5 Jupiter activated in Spring 2017 is advertised to deliver up to blazing fast 25 mpbs speeds, but mobile support is only available through select resellers (not directly through Hughes).

Overlays carrier maps to create you own personalized coverage map based on the carriers you utilize.

Disclaimer: We created this app for planning our own travels around connectivity!

Sanity Tip: Separate Your Work Days and Your Driving Days

If you have a big deliverable, webinar or online task - do not arrive the same day that you need to be online. It can take time to figure out which is your optimal connection in a new location, and travel days can sometimes take more time than you anticipated (traffic, delays, construction, break-downs, etc.).

Don't assume you will be ready to pop open that video chat and conference away upon arrival to a new location.

You may be greeted with an easily accessible, awesome signal. Or, you might need to play around with antennas, boosters and different carriers to find what will be the optimal choice. And of course, you might arrive to your new campground to discover your neighbors are hosting a huge reunion that is too loud to work next to, or that the front office lost your reservation.

Save yourself a lot of stress and arrive at least a day before a big work day, so you have time to work through all the redundancies you built into your setup if need be.

Leaving Room for Plan B

So, you've built a redundant mobile internet arsenal to meet your specific travel style and mobile work needs. You've done your research and planned around reported signal coverage and strength. You've left yourself plenty of time to set-up and test your connectivity after moving to a new location.

You've just dialed in to your daily conference call on a strong, fast connection, when suddenly... nothing.

That's right, your connection has given out in the middle of your work day. Maybe you've lost power and your hotspot has shut off. Maybe the network you are on has crashed. Maybe a giant rig being driven by big-foot has pulled up next door, blocking your signal enhancers.

Working online while living a nomadic lifestyle is a surmountable challenge for most who are up for the preparation and flexibility building and maintaining a mobile internet arsenal requires. Where there is a will, there is usually a way. If there is one thing that we can suggest for almost everyone looking to work online while traveling: redundancy! (And yes, we've been pretty redundant with that recommendation)

We could not provide any of this without the support of those who chose to become members funding this resource center. We do not accept sponsorships, third party advertising and we do not resell products or gear. We strive to be an unbiased community funded resource.

Support this site and Go Further!

Become a member starting at $65/year

Our premium membership - Mobile Internet Aficionados - is designed for those who consider internet essential for their mobile lifestyle.

In thanks for their support our members go deeper with our content - and receive benefits that help them save money, stay up to date, learn, get guidance and make informed choices.

Related

Related

Members, Please Log In to Comment on this Article.

RVMobileInternet.com is a Member Supported Resource

Appreciate content like this article? It is brought to you by the generosity of our premium members - who fund the creation of our content. There is no way we could not put this much time & attention on this topic without their support, and we are so grateful.

About Us

The Mobile Internet Resource Center is brought to you by Two Steps Beyond LLC, and hosted by the technomads of:

Mission Statement

We offer unbiased mobile internet information specifically for US based RVers and Cruisers. We research the options, share our personal & professional experience and analyze industry news... so you can focus on what drives you.

This resource center is brought to you with the support of our nomadic community and funded primairly by our premium members.